Technical Assistance and Dissemination to Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities—National Technical Assistance Center for Inclusive Practices and Policies

Overview

<p>The purpose of the Technical Assistance and Dissemination to Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities program is to promote academic achievement and improve results for children with disabilities by providing TA, supporting model demonstration projects, disseminating useful information, and implementing activities that are supported by scientifically based research.</p> <p><strong>Priority:</strong> This competition includes one absolute priority, which is: <em>National Technical Assistance Center for Inclusive Practices and Policies.</em></p> <p>The purpose of this priority is to fund a cooperative agreement to establish and operate a National Technical Assistance Center for Inclusive Practices and Policies (TA Center). The TA Center will assist SEAs and LEAs to successfully implement and sustain evidence-based 4 inclusive practices and policies based on individualized determinations, for students with significant cognitive disabilities, including those who are also English learners, in elementary, middle, and high school (K–12) programs. The TA Center will select, in collaboration with OSEP, SEAs with a demonstrated commitment to developing and implementing inclusive practices and policies in schools.</p> <p><strong>The TA Center must achieve, at a minimum, the following expected outcomes:</strong></p> <p><strong>(a)</strong> Increase the capacity of SEA, LEA, and school personnel to support and implement inclusive practices and policies in grade-level academic and extracurricular settings for students with significant cognitive disabilities.</p> <p><strong>(b)</strong> Increase the quantity of time that students with significant cognitive disabilities are served in more inclusive environments, where appropriate, based on their individual needs;</p> <p><strong>(c)</strong> Increase educational engagement for students with significant cognitive disabilities across multiple settings and activities (e.g., classroom, academic instruction, extracurricular activities) throughout the school day;</p> <p><strong>(d)</strong> Improve the quality of instruction, including the use of interventions and accommodations supported by evidence, for students with significant cognitive disabilities in more inclusive environments based on their individual needs and aligned to the general education curriculum; and</p> <p><strong>(e)</strong> Develop and disseminate an implementation package of products and resources that will assist SEAs, LEAs, and schools to implement inclusive practices and policies and increase the amount of time that students with significant cognitive disabilities are served in the LRE, based on their individual needs.</p>